Explosive diarrhea? Here's what to know about Cyclospora

Key Points:

• Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite that causes the intestinal illness cyclosporiasis, spreading through consumption of food or water contaminated with human feces, often linked to fresh produce eaten raw such as berries, leafy greens, and herbs.
• The parasite is not contagious person-to-person because it requires days or weeks in the environment to become infectious after being shed in feces, making direct transmission unlikely.
• Symptoms of Cyclospora infection include severe watery diarrhea, abdominal cramps, bloating, nausea, fatigue, and weight loss, typically appearing about one week after exposure and lasting days to weeks without treatment.
• Diagnosis requires specific stool testing, which may need to be requested by healthcare providers as Cyclospora is not included in many routine tests; multiple samples may be needed due to intermittent shedding of the parasite.
• Prevention is challenging since Cyclospora can cling to produce and is not reliably removed by washing; thorough cooking is effective but many linked foods are eaten raw, so safe farming practices, sanitation, and heeding public health alerts are critical to reducing risk.